# Who was Mary Magdalene?

Mary Magdalene was a woman from whom Jesus drove out seven demons. She followed him in Galilee and helped support his work from her own means. She stood by the cross, saw where he was buried, and on Easter morning was the first person to see Jesus risen. He sent her to tell the others.

- When: During Jesus’ ministry, about AD 28 to 30 or 33.
- Read: Luke 8, Mark 15–16, John 19–20. Start with [John 20](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/20).

Source: https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/mary-magdalene. Scripture quotations are from the Lumin Translation.

## Mary Magdalene’s life, in order

1. **Healed** ([Luke 8:1-3](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/8#1-3)). Luke names her among women Jesus healed: “Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out.” Map: [Magdala](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#magdala).
2. **At the cross** ([John 19:25](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/19#25)). She stands near the cross with Jesus’ mother and watches him die. Map: [Jerusalem](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-map#jerusalem).
3. **At the tomb** ([Mark 15:40-47](https://www.lumin.faith/read/mark/15#40-47)). She watches Joseph of Arimathea lay Jesus in the tomb and sees where it is.
4. **The stone is moved** ([John 20:1-2](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/20#1-2)). Early on Sunday she finds the tomb open and runs to tell Peter and John.
5. **“Mary”** ([John 20:11-16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/20#11-16)). Weeping outside the tomb, she thinks Jesus is the gardener, until he says her name.
6. **“I have seen the Lord”** ([John 20:17-18](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/20#17-18)). Jesus sends her to his brothers, and she tells the disciples.

## Key verses

> and also some women who had been healed of evil spirits and illnesses: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out… ([Luke 8:2](https://www.lumin.faith/read/luke/8#2))

> Jesus said to her, “Mary.” Turning toward him, she said in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (meaning Teacher). ([John 20:16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/20#16))

> Mary Magdalene came to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them what he had said to her. ([John 20:18](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/20#18))

## What the Bible says, and what tradition adds

### Was Mary Magdalene a prostitute?

**Tradition, not the Bible.** No. The Bible never says so. The idea took hold after a sermon by Pope Gregory I in 591 joined her to the unnamed sinful woman of Luke 7. The Catholic Church dropped that link from its calendar in 1969.

### Was Mary Magdalene married to Jesus?

**Tradition, not the Bible.** Nothing in the Bible or the early church says so. The idea comes from modern novels and readings of a few later writings outside the Bible.

### Where was she from?

**In the Bible.** “Magdalene” means from Magdala, a fishing town on the west shore of the Sea of Galilee.

### Who saw Jesus first after he rose?

**In the Bible.** Mary Magdalene. John’s Gospel tells it, and the longer ending of Mark, which is missing from the oldest copies, says it outright. See [John 20:14-16](https://www.lumin.faith/read/john/20#14-16).

## Related people

- [Mary, the mother of Jesus](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/mary-mother-of-jesus): Said yes to God. Gave birth to Jesus. Stood at the cross.
- [Peter](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/peter): Fisherman, apostle, denied Jesus, led the first church.
- [John the Baptist](https://www.lumin.faith/bible-people/john-the-baptist): Prepared the way. Baptized Jesus in the Jordan.